Choosing someone to build your business website can feel like a gamble — especially if you're not technical. Here's a straightforward guide to help you make the right choice.
Look for clear, upfront pricing
A good website designer will tell you what it costs before you start — not hand you a vague quote and a bill full of surprises later. At LocalWebs, a full build is £500–£750 depending on scope, and ongoing maintenance is £100/year. You know exactly where you stand.
Ask to see a demo first
You wouldn't buy a car without seeing it, and a website shouldn't be any different. A designer who's confident in their work will show you a demo before you commit. LocalWebs builds a free demo of your own website so you can see exactly what you're getting before you pay anything.
Make sure it'll work on mobile
Test a designer's work on your phone as well as on a computer. Check the menu, text, forms and contact buttons. Every website LocalWebs builds is designed to work across phones, tablets and computers.
Check what happens afterwards
A website needs ongoing care — updates, domain renewal, the occasional content change. Ask who handles that and what it costs. With LocalWebs, ongoing maintenance, updates and domain management are £100 per year.
Watch out for these red flags
- No clear price, or a price that keeps changing
- No verifiable examples of work or a clear explanation of the proposed build
- Websites that only look right on a desktop
- No mention of ongoing support or maintenance
Questions to ask before hiring a website designer
- Can I visit a live client website, rather than only see a mockup?
- What pages, features and revisions are included in the written quote?
- What will I pay over the full contract, including renewals and optional extras?
- Who owns the domain and website, and can I move them later?
- Can customers enquire or book on mobile without unnecessary steps?
- What is included in maintenance, and how do I request changes?
- What happens if the project is delayed, cancelled or needs extra work?
Check real work and treat ranking promises carefully
Visit a live project, try its navigation and see whether the features match the claims. Ask which projects are paying clients and which are demonstrations. For example, The Valeter Co in Belfast is a LocalWebs client project; our house tour is an illustrative website mockup.
A website can be built with good search foundations, but a designer cannot guarantee the number-one organic position on Google. Ask what they will actually deliver: crawlable pages, clear content, useful page titles, a sitemap and a way to measure search performance.
Local or remote website designer?
Choose a local designer if in-person meetings matter to you. A remote designer can also be suitable when the brief, feedback and support process are clear. Check contact details and response arrangements. LocalWebs works remotely across Northern Ireland, Scotland, the wider UK, Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey.
Before requesting quotes, read our website cost guide and small business website checklist.
Discuss your website
The right website designer is one who's upfront about cost, shows you their work first, builds something that works on mobile, and sticks around afterwards. If that's what you're looking for, request a free demo from LocalWebs and see for yourself.